A federal judge banned Los Angeles Police Department officers from using some so-called
" #less- #lethal" launchers at protests,
after finding that the department violated previous court restrictions by using such projectile weapons to disperse crowds at last summer's mass demonstrations against immigration enforcement.
In her ruling Wednesday,
U.S. District Judge #Consuelo B. #Marshall sided with a contempt motion filed by attorneys for
Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles.
That same day LAPD officials sent a department-wide memo announcing an immediate moratorium on the use of the 40-millimeter weapons in light of Marshall's ruling.
The memo advised those seeking further clarity to contact the department's risk management and legal affairs division.
"Accordingly, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY the 40mm SHALL NOT be used during any CROWD CONTROL situation,"
said the memo, a copy of which was reviewed by The Times.
A preliminary injunction handed down by Marshall in 2021 placed certain restrictionson the weapons' use,
including requiring specialized training for handlers;
the issuance of a warning before firing such weapons;
and restricting their use only to situations in which "the officer reasonably believes that a suspect is violently resisting arrest or poses an immediate threat of violence or physical harm."
The latest order halts the use of a weapon,
👉recognizable by its neon green handle,
that has been used by police during recent protests to clear crowds after demonstrations were declared unlawful.
💥The weapon launches projectiles the size of a mini soda can at speeds of more than 200 mph.
But attorneys for Black Lives Matters-L.A. argued that LAPD routinely flouted the injunction
— citing numerous apparent violations in their contempt motion.
Officers already were barred from firing their weapons from five feet away or closer,
or from targeting a person's head, groin or spine,
but attorneys argued that police repeatedly did so.
One lawyer said the department also seemed to be violating its own guidelines governing the
40-millimeter's use by
🔥shooting journalists and others in sensitive areas such as the head.
https://www.aol.com/news/federal-judge-bars-lapds-less-130000239.html
